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Published 4:06 p.m. ET Sept. 22, 2017

CARLOS ORTIZ/@CFORTIZ_DANDC/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERAlthough a $50 million downtown Transit Center opened roughly two years ago, many jobs for city residents are in the suburbs. Transit Center in downtown Rochester.(Photo: CARLOS ORTIZ/@CFORTIZ_DANDC/STAF)

Thumbs up: For buying local. The new del Lago Resort & Casino purchased 6,000 bottles of Finger Lakes wine to give to its top guests. That adds up to $84,000 worth of sales for two area wineries, Thirsty Owl and Glenora Wine Cellers. “From the very start, our mission has been to act as a gateway to the Finger Lakes region, leveraging the natural beauty and unique offerings to enhance tourism in the area,” said Jeff Babinski, del Lago’s executive vice president and general manager.

Thumbs up: For the Dog Days of Summer, and several new or renovated waterfront restaurants to savor our good weather. These include Farmer’s Creekside Tavern and Inn in LeRoy, the Owl House and Swilly’s in Pultneyville, the Hook and Spoon on Conesus Lake, and Silk O’Loughlin’s in Irondequoit. Make your reservations before the snow starts flying.

Thumbs down: For the lack of a permanent leader to oversee North S.T.A.R., a problematic program of the Rochester City School District. The program for some of the district’s most vulnerable students, those returning from jail or residential placements like Hillside, has suffered from serious turnover problems over its 15-year history, with staff often landing there by default not choice. It is time to get this program in order, or abolished.

Thumbs up: To the the honorees of the 2017 Philanthropy Awards who were recognized by the Rochester Area Community Foundation. The Foundation, which also celebrated its 45th anniversary year during its Annual Report to the Community Luncheon, honored six local philanthropists: Anne Morris Farnham and Sherman Farnham Jr. of Fairport; Mimi Hwang of Brighton; Chuck Lundeen and John Williams of Pittsford; and Mike Buckley of Conesus, Livingston County. Buckley, a partner at the law firm of Boylan Code LLP, received e the Foundation’s top honor, the Joe U. Posner Founders Award.

Thumbs up: For amove by Regional Transit Servicethat may lead to an overhaul of public transit in Monroe County. Next month, RTS will begin a multi-phase study of the transit system that includes looking at where customers begin and end their days. The public transit system has stood largely unchanged for more then 40 years. A lot has happened within the community and its demographics in four decades. The “Reimagine RTS” project is necessary to address the new transportation needs of our community.

Thumbs up: For public forums to discuss “textalyzer” technology. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committe has been studying the technology that can determine whether a person was texting while driving. It is foolhardy to text while driving yet drivers in New York continue to do it: Between 2011 and 2015, 678 people died from distracted driving car crashes in New York, according to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. During that same time, 2,784 people were injured as a result of cellphone-related car crashes in the state. The “textalyzer” technology is not without its concerns, including legal issues that could arise from enforcing and implementing use. Area residents will have a chance to have their say from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 9 at University of Rochester; Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center; 300 E. River Road, Rochester. Register to speak or give written testimony at SafeNY@dmv.ny.gov.